Latest News

Kempsell Count Is Three On Bright Day For Scots In Manchester

3 Aug 2017

Scottish outsiders Lisa Aitken & Douglas Kempsell upset two higher-seeded pairings - including favourites and Mixed defending champions Joelle King & Paul Coll - on the second day of qualifying action in the WSF World Doubles Squash Championships at the National Squash Centre in Manchester, England.

"We just wanted to be solid and not give anything away at the end," said a delighted Kempsell. "Lisa said she'd be happy to play 500 shot rallies, but while serving out isn't the way you'd like to win a match like that, we'll take it!"

Kempsell's count for the day was three wins when he partnered Kevin Moran to an 11-6, 6-11, 11-7 victory over Canadian pair David Baillargeon & Shawn Delierre in the Men's event.

Fellow Scots Alan Clyne & Greg Lobban also secured a quarter-final slot after a third successive win in the Men's event. The title-holders ended the brave run of Dylan Bennett & Piedro Schweertman, beating the unseeded Dutch pair, who claimed two wins on day one, 11-2, 11-5.

"It had to happen sometime," said Bennett. "They're very good - you can tell they play a lot together, they play the angles very well without giving you anything to work with - they're the world champions, after all.

"We didn't expect to be in this position, but we're delighted to get through and we'll give it our all in the quarters."

"It was a solid win but it got a bit scrappy at the end with quite a few lets but we didn't let that affect us," said Londoner Waters after their win. "It's good to win all three games and qualify comfortably."

But while the top Aussie pair Rachael Grinham & Donna Urquhart made the top eight, the second duo Sarah Cardwell & Christine Nunn did not - despite narrowly clinching an 11-9, 6-11, 11-10 win over sixth seeds Rachel Arnold & Nicol David. A superior overall count saw the Malaysians qualify - and they will face Duncalf & Waters for a place in the semis.

Qualifying matches will continue in the Men's and Mixed event - whilst the quarter-final line-up in the Women's event is: